


Between the Lines (I remain, affectionately yours)

by Emiline



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Epistolary, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, Letters, Misunderstandings, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Post-Season/Series 02, Research, Skirting Around Our Feelings, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-07-20 13:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16137992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emiline/pseuds/Emiline
Summary: In which Hecate goes on sabbatical to Paris for the fall semester, and she and Ada keep up a correspondence during that time.





	1. September and October

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cassiopeiasara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place post season 2, but there are really only spoilers through the end of season 1.
> 
> All errors in French are mine. My knowledge of French being almost nil, I relied heavily on Google translate, which I can only hope did lead me astray.
> 
> I don't think boarding school teachers go on sabbatical, technically speaking, but they do in this fic.

21 September 

Dear Hecate,

I do hope that your sabbatical has been pleasant so far. I promised myself I would not disturb you during this term, but I am afraid I need assistance with a small matter. We have had a lengthy and lingering bout of flu here and are nearly out of nightweed. I know that you have a supply somewhere, but we have been unable to locate it. If you could tell me where it is and how to access it, I would be most grateful. Algernon has been making nightly trips to gather some fresh, but as you know nightweed is not particularly plentiful this time of year. Several other academies have also had outbreaks of flu and so our options for purchasing it are somewhat limited. I apologize for intruding on the peace of your work – I would not have done it had it not been so critical. 

You will be pleased to know that Dimity is filling the deputy headmistress role admirably – she is quite different from you of course, my dear, but we are finding a good working rhythm – and I can assure you that she doesn’t let me avoid the less agreeable tasks any more than you do.

Sincerely,  
Ada

* * *

22 September

Dear Ada,

The nightweed can be found in my office on the top left shelf behind the newt eyes. I have made it invisible – I do not trust the students not to get into mischief with it and they could cause themselves considerable harm, especially if they mistook it for regular pondweed. The spell which will reveal it is:

 _Shining light, illumine me_  
_Bright before my eyes I see_  
_What was hidden from my sight_  
_A jar of the weeds of night_

If the quantity of nightweed should prove insufficient to your needs a modification of the nausea-banishing spell with a substitution of pumpkin rind for the daisy petals should provide an adequate, if not quite as effective substitute for those who have a milder case.

You did not mention whether you have been one of the sufferers. I hope that you are taking care of yourself, and not neglecting your own health.

Sincerely,  
Hecate 

* * *

24 September

Dear Hecate,

Thank you for telling me about the adjustment to the anti-nausea potion, it worked wonders and allowed us to stretch the nightweed supply. Yes, of course I have been taking precautions as I can, but you know very well that the school comes first. I can well imagine the disapproving glare you are no directing towards this letter, so I promise you that I am not taking wild risks. But I am headmistress Hecate, I can’t ask others to do more than I am myself doing. Suffice it to say that the students are improving rapidly and I hope that everyone will be healthy again by the end of a week.

I dare say that you are probably very happy having a break from your usual fall activities, so you needn’t reply to this letter if you don’t want to. I know how happy you were to be able to finally take some much-deserved time to do research. However, should you want a little break now and then and would like to stay in touch, I’d be delighted to hear how you go on.

Warmly,  
Ada

* * *

25 September

Dear Ada,

I am not in the least bit reassured by your cryptic comment about taking care of yourself as long as the needs of the school are not greater than your own. I am of half a mind to write to Dimity to get the full story. She would be more than happy to tell me exactly how things stand, I am sure. Take care of yourself, Ada. You’re doing neither the school nor yourself any favors if you push yourself beyond your limits. 

Thank you for inquiring after my project. It is going along tolerably well. Mlle Jardin has been obliging enough to give me free reign of library for the _Académie des Botanistes_ , and Mlle Papillon, the head archivist has invited me to make use of archives as well. This has been very helpful in conducting my research.

I am currently engaged in experimenting with the properties of certain water-plants and their effectiveness in memory potions. I am still too much in the exploratory stage to say with confidence more than that, but I have hopes that I will find ways of making certain potions more effective.

Mlle Jardin has been of some assistance in narrowing down which plants I should start with. I have found that she has a quick mind, a ready intelligence, and of equal importance she does not fill all available space with chatter. I confess I did not know what to expect when first I met her but I am not sorry to have made her acquaintance.

No letter of yours could be unwelcome to me, and I would be delighted to keep in touch. It is nice to have a break from worrying about what new disasters the students will manage to get themselves into next, and it is very pleasant to be able to so wholly devote myself to my research. I do miss being at Cackle’s though, more than I anticipated.

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

2 October

Dear Hecate,

I apologize for the delay since my last letter. I am ashamed to admit that just as the last girls were recovering from the flu I came down with it, and spent several days disagreeably ill. I assure you I am now perfectly recovered and you needn’t scold me for Dimity and Gwen have already done so.

I am glad that Mlle Jardin and Mlle Papillion have made the library and archives available to you. I’ve met Mlle Jardin a few times at some of the larger witching conferences, and she seemed bright, thoughtful, and a consummate academic. 

I hope both that your work is going well and that you have been able to take a little time to see some of the sights of Paris.

Did you see the article in the most recent issue of _Magical Curiosities_ about non-magical nursery rhymes and their relationship to basic spells? Dr. Zvyezda thinks that they may be corruptions of old chants. Gwen and I have had several interesting discussions about it. Some of the connections are a bit tenuous I admit, but I’d love to know what you think.

I miss you very much, my dear. I knew that I would, but I had not realized just how intertwined your life had become with mine until you left for Paris.

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

4 October

Dear Ada,

Very well, I won’t scold you though I am sorely tempted to do so, and ruined three sheets of perfectly good paper before this one.

I have not yet seen that issue of _Magical Curiosities_. The Académie’s library doesn’t subscribe to any of the general periodicals, but I am certain I can find a copy, perhaps at the _Bibliothèque de magie_ , and if nowhere else I know the _Bibliothèque nationale de magie_ should have it.

I have not yet had much time to sight-see. My research is proceeding relatively smoothly. So far _Persicaria amphibia_ is not showing much promise in enhancing memory, which makes me wonder how it came to have the common name of “water smartweed”. Not that I set much store by common names of plants. I am looking into whether a combination of some sort with _Mentha aquatica_ (Watermint) may be useful. _Menyanthes trifoliate_ , also known as bogbean is proving much more useful at the moment than _Persicaria amphibia_.

I find that I miss your company as well. It is not quite the same, taking tea with my notes.

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

5 October

Dear Hecate,

I must admit “water smartweed” is neither a particularly imaginative nor a very elegant name. I’m glad the bogbean is more of a success. What sort of things are you testing with the bogbean?

Do you know, Agatha once tried to convince me that we could become smarter by eating pondweed? She insisted it must be freshly gathered from the pond. I can’t remember now how she finally convinced me to try it – it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. 

The leaves are starting to turn, just a little here, and there’s that feeling of fall in the air. I’m going to visit Mother for the weekend, for our annual apple-picking adventure.

Perhaps Mlle Jardin would take tea with you one day? 

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

7 October 

Dear Ada,

Yesterday I encountered a friend of yours, Mlle Théière. She ran into me (quite literally, as it turns out) as I was leaving the _Bibliothèque de botanique_. I dropped the stack of books I was carrying, and one the envelopes from your letters, which I had been using as a place-marker, fell out. Mlle Théière helped me to gather the books again, and happened to see your name on the envelope. After very properly apologizing for reading something which was none of her business, she explained that she had been well-acquainted with you at one time but had lost touch. She asked after you, and at that point Mlle Jardin had come to see what all the noise was about, and greeted her in such warm and affectionate terms as made me feel comfortable telling Mlle Théière that you were doing quite well.

I somehow found myself agreeing to have dinner with both of them next week – Mlle Théière insisted it was the least she could do, after “running me over”, as she put it. And I confess I was somewhat curious.

Is there any message you would like me to give her when I see her again?

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

9 October

Dear Hecate,

I had not the faintest idea that Marthe Théière was back in Paris! The last time I heard from her she was in Switzerland with Miss Longstead. Will you please give her my regards and tell her she is welcome to visit Cackle’s at any time, should she be in England again in the future. 

We did indeed know each other well at one time, though it was more years ago now than I would care to admit. We started dating in college and were quite serious about one another for several years. Our relationship did not ultimately survive being a long-distance one – I came back to Cackles and she returned to France, but we parted amicably and kept in touch for some years. I am not perfectly sure how we fell out of touch, but you know how these things happen sometimes.

I should very much like to know how she is these days, and what she has been up to lately. Funny that Marthe should turn up again after all these years! Well! You just never know what time will bring. I shall have to tell Mother that you have met her, she will be delighted. I do believe she hoped at one time that Marthe and I might marry. I dare say Marthe may be happily devoted still to Miss Longstead, for all I know.

I had a marvelous time with Mother over the weekend. I must admit this is one activity in which I do not miss Agatha – she never was fond of apple-picking. We made a pie with some of the apples, a galette, and applesauce with the rest. I’m enclosing a jar of the applesauce with this letter. Don’t worry, it’s unsweetened, and I didn’t put any cinnamon in.

I wish I could send you some of the pie but it would not, I fear, travel very well.

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

11 October

Dear Ada,

Thank you very much for the applesauce, it is quite delicious. I had some with a small slice of ginger cake with my tea yesterday. As I am having dinner with Mlle Théière and Mlle Jardin tomorrow night I have decided to wait on asking Mlle Jardin to take tea with me until after the dinner, in case we should not get along outside of a working environment.

I will pass along your messages to Mlle Théière as you have requested. 

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

13 October

Dear Ada,

Mlle Théière promises that she will visit soon, and is delighted at the prospect of becoming reacquainted with you. She spoke of you with the greatest affection and warmth. I am sorry to tell you that Miss Longstead and Mlle Théière went their separate ways some years ago. I could not hope to match Mlle Théière’s eloquence or sense of humor in regards to telling her own story, and so I shall attempt to do so, but leave it to her to do so. I have taken the liberty of supplying her with your address, so that the two of you may work out the details of her trip more efficiently.

Mlle Jardin is as charming a dinner companion as she is an able research assistant. I asked her if she would take tea with me on Tuesday, and she agreed.

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

14 October

Dear Hecate,

Thank you for putting me back in touch with Marthe – she will arrive a little before Halloween and will stay for a few days. It will be very nice to see her again, I am sure. I have had a thought about Halloween this year, which I will tell you later for my time is short at the moment.

I am of course very happy for you, that you and Mlle Jardin are getting along so splendidly.

Warmly,  
Ada

* * *

16 October

Dear Ada,

You need no longer worry that I am too busy to take in the sights – Mlle Jardin, upon learning that I had not done so already very kindly offered to be my guide, so I shall be seeing more of her in the next few weeks, I expect.

I realized that in all the excitement of rediscovering your former partner that I have failed to update you on my research in the last several letters. _Persicaria amphibia_ continues to resist my efforts, even after modifying it in several ways with _Mentha aquatica_. I am having more success with _Menyanthes trifoliate_. At present I am attempting to improve a potion that clears the mind of distractions and improves focus.

I trust that you and Mlle Théière will have much to catch up on.

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

18 October

Dear Hecate,

I fear that I may have done something which has upset you. Perhaps I am more into your last letter than is there, but if I have upset your or offended you I beg you will tell me what it is that I have done, that I may fix it.

You are very dear to me Hecate, and I would not hurt you for the world.

I remain yours truly,  
Ada

* * *

20 October

Dear Ada,  
I was upset, but not with you, only with myself. I had realized I been a little foolish, and was still angry with myself when I wrote you that letter. I had rather not talk about it. I beg your pardon for letting my feelings bleed through into my note. I should not have done that.

You said you had new plans this year for Halloween at Cackle’s?

Sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

21 October

Dear Hecate,

I will of course not press you if you do not wish to speak of it, but as your friend I will say one thing. I know how important standards are you, how hard you strive for perfection, but we can none of us be perfect, and I hope you will remember that making mistakes does not make you a bad person. I fear that sometimes you are a little unforgiving of yourself. We are but human, and therefore we err, from time to time. You are a remarkable woman, Hecate and a remarkable witch. I feel so very fortunate that our paths crossed and that you chose to take the potions mistress position. I would be the poorer in so many ways had you not.

Now you asked about the plans for Halloween. I thought it might be good to do something completely different so that there would be as little in the celebration as possible to remind the returning students of last year. I also thought it would be good to have support in numbers, as it were, so I invited the students and staff of Pentangles to celebrate with us. 

I have asked our students for suggestions on activities, decorations, and music and have asked Pippa to do the same with her students. I can perfectly imagine your horrified reaction to this idea, so let me assure you that I am not permitting the students to vote on their suggestions. Only staff will make the final determination.

Mildred Hubble made some suggestions about music. A charming piece called “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg and the Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach. Both appropriately traditional by nonmagical standards. I think even you would not find fault with them.

Oh, that reminds me, Gwen is hoping that you might be able to bring her back a recording of the Grand-Orgue of Saint-Sulpice, if you have time, preferably one where either the organist or assistant organist is playing, but any recording will do she says.

One of the suggestions that has come out of Pentangles so far is to roast marshmallows on sticks over the fires (which we will have outdoors this year). I imagine this is not something you would approve of, but it is harmless enough fun, and I do believe the children will enjoy it very much.

Pippa also sent us a recording of two of her students performing what they called “a post-punk Halloween ballad” which I am not at all sure about but I would like to get Gwen’s opinion on.

Do you have any plans for Halloween in Paris, dear? 

With much affection I remain,  
Ada

* * *

22 October

Dear Ada,

Mlle Jardin’s partner, Mlle Tournesol knows of a place where the old traditions are still adhered to, and has promised to take me there. This works out for all parties involved, as Mlle Jardin usually accompanies her but prefers a more exuberant observance of the occasion.

I have no confidence whatsoever in Pippa’s marshmallow scheme, but as I will not be obliged to deal with the inevitably sticky aftermath I will leave it to your judgement. I most strongly urge you to squash such a plan, however. You are well aware of my sentiments in regards to Halloween and the manner in which it should be observed, and since Pippa is also involved I have not the slightest hope that I would be able to convince her that Halloween is not a happy occasion I shall not waste paper in the attempt.

I am greatly relieved that you do not intend to allow the students to vote on the Halloween plans. The talent show is one thing, allowing them to dictate the entire course of the celebrations is quite another.

I have not forgotten the article you recommended, but I have not yet had time to go to the _Bibliothèque de magie_. I will try to get that recording that Gwen wants, as well. 

You are very kind, Ada, and I know I would not be who I am today without you and your influence. Your kind words meant more to me than I can tell you.

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

23 October

My dear,

I forgot to ask you, may I give Pippa your address? She has been asking after you.

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

24 October

Dear Ada,

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a splendid day. Your present has been a little delayed I am afraid, but it will arrive by Halloween.

I have no objection to your giving Pippa my address. I am almost afraid to ask, but has the fate of the “post punk Halloween ballad” in regards to the Halloween observance been decided?

I have had a breakthrough with my research! If you combine two grams of _Mentha aquatica_ with four and a half grams of _Menyanthes trifoliate_ , brew it for an hour, stirring slowly but constantly, and then combine it with the standard memory potion it enhances a person’s memory so that they essentially have a photographic memory, for a brief period of time. I have not been able to sustain the effect for very long, but I am certain that I will be able to find a way to do so.

I haven’t time to write more, I am afraid, the library is closing soon and I wish to consult a few volumes before they do so.

With warmest affection,  
Hecate

* * *

25 October

Dear Hecate,

My dear, thank you for the birthday wishes, and I am so excited for you and proud of you! What a wonderful discovery! How marvelous! Oh my dear, what wonderful news. I could not be happier for you.

Pippa sends her congratulations as well (as do Dimity, Gwen, and Algernon) and says she will be writing you shortly.

Gwen was considerably taken aback, at first by the post punk Halloween ballad (its name, evidentally is “Punky Night Redux”). As you can imagine it is not at all the style of anything I can even remotely imagine Gwen teaching. However, after listening to the piece several times and after due consideration Gwen decided that we should permit its inclusion. She said that although it was highly untraditional and very strange to her ear that it was a remarkable and unusual composition that would surely grab the attention of the students and expose them to a very different musical style. She calls it a “mind-broadening experience”.

Marthe will be arriving in a few days and I am excited but also a little nervous. It’s been so long since I last saw her. I know it is a silly thought, but what if we don’t get along anymore? What if we are so different that we no longer have anything in common?

But I shouldn’t be bothering you with this, you have made your breakthrough and—oh Hecate, congratulations! 

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

26 October

Dear Ada,

Please give my thanks to Dimity, Gwen, Algernon, and Pippa.

I find that there are not words adequate to describe the horror I felt on your behalf upon reading your description of “Punky Night Redux” (my pen rebels against even writing it). You all have my deepest and sincerest sympathy. Surely this is a case for using your veto power if ever there was one.

It is very natural to feel nervous at the prospect of meeting Mlle Théière once again. I did not tell you this at the time but I was quite on edge when I learned that I would be seeing Pippa again, after so many years. But Ada, there is no possibility that Mlle Théière will dislike you. You said you had parted on good terms, and anyone who once held you in affection could not but help to continue to do so. You are one of the best people that I know. You are kind to a fault, and have a generous and loving heart. You see the best in people, and in most cases that inspires the people around you to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.

Remember too, that Mlle Théière is already delighted with the prospect of seeing you again. You will have plenty to talk about it, and whether or not you still have much in common you will surely still have a nice visit. Please try not to worry Ada. I have every confidence that you will have a splendid time together.

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

28 October

Dear Hecate,

Thank you so much for your kind words. I hardly know what to say – only that that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. And you have quite bolstered my confidence. I am still nervous, but buoyed by such kind words as yours…well I can’t think what I might have done to deserve someone like you.

Marthe arrives tomorrow. I am all nerves, and don’t know how I will sleep tonight. Perhaps a cup of tea will help. At the very least it will give me something to do. 

Yours,  
Ada

P.S. I am afraid I already told Pippa that “Punky Night Redux” has been approved and she has told her girls, so there’s no putting the cat back in the bag now. I did briefly consider forbidding it, but we must allow the girls some freedom, within limits of course.

* * *

30 October

Dear Ada,

If anyone tries to approve "Punky Night Redux" for next year, I can assure you that it will give me the greatest pleasure to veto it for you if you feel unable to do so.

If you birthday present does not arrive tomorrow, please tell me as I was promised it would. I trust that your visit with Mlle Théière is going well.

The _Académie des Botanistes_ is going to be closed on Halloween and Mlle Jardin has convinced me that I should take the day off as well. She has promised to take me to the Jardin du Luxemborg. She says that I should really come in June if I want to see it at its full beauty but that I should see it now, before it gets any colder.

She also mentioned that there is an afternoon organ concert at Saint-Sulpice tomorrow, so she and I will go to that as well and she thinks I will be able to acquire a recording for Gwen.

Warmly,  
Hecate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those interested in the meanings of the names:
> 
> Mlle Jardin - Miss Garden  
> Mlle Papillon - Miss Butterfly  
> Mlle Théière - Miss Teapot  
> Mlle Tournesol - Miss Sunflower  
> Dr. Zvyezda - Dr. Star (this one is Russian)
> 
> For the curious: Water smartweed, bogbean, and watermint are all real plants.


	2. November

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a spoiler for season 2 in this chapter, FYI.

1 November

Dear Hecate,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the beautiful mantle-clock! Please also convey my thanks to Mlle Tournesol for her exquisite craftsmanship. Pendle is quite taken with the little cat that appears on the hour and scampers about the face. The small, carved owls, perched on branches on either side of the clock face are incredible. I love that each of them appears to have his or her own unique expression. I feel that at any moment they might come to life and take off from the branch. I am so in awe of Mlle Tournesol’s talent – she is truly a gifted artist. I of course put it up on my mantle right away, and am admiring it still as I write this letter.

Our Halloween celebration was a great success. It was indeed a little chaotic with twice the usual number of students, but everyone enjoyed themselves very much. I am pleased to say that we had very few students get out of hand. We did lay out some ground rules for the tricks this year, and Dimity had a talk with our girls about appropriate behavior. Emily did the same for the Pentangles students. The few trouble-makers were caught quickly and have received punishments fitting to their actions.

The students seemed very pleased with “Punky Night Redux”, and Gwen hopes that it will inspire some of them to be more diligent in chanting. You were quite right about the marshmallows – we are finding sticky residue all over the school, but the students enjoyed the treat immensely, and now have an opportunity to practice their cleaning spells on a wide variety of objects. They are less pleased about the latter, it must be said, but I think they are learning a valuable lesson about tidiness and group responsibility.

I do not for one moment regret the way we did Halloween this year, but I will be glad to return to something more like our customary style of celebration next year. It was absolutely worth it, but it was rather a lot of work, and I think we all have enough on our plates without adding this sort of celebration as regular occurrence.

I was glad to be able to share this with Marthe as well (you were also right about that, it has been so nice to catch up with her), though I will in future perhaps not invite old friends to visit for the first time in years during a time in which we are putting on a major school event. I felt terrible, I was so busy the first few days that she was here that we had very little time to talk. But we had a good long chat today, and she is taking me out to dinner tomorrow night before she returns to Paris on the following day.

How was your traditional Halloween observance, and the concert?

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

2 November

Dear Ada,

You are most welcome, I am so glad that you are pleased with your present. I have passed along your thanks to Mlle Tournesol, and she is also delighted that it has given you and Pendle so much pleasure.

I am greatly relieved that there were no serious mishaps at Halloween. I was a little worried about all of you there with two school-fulls worth of rambunctious students. 

The Halloween observation I attended was everything that I could have wished for. Mlle Tournesol and I travelled by broomstick to where the outskirts of Paris meet the countryside, and there we met her coven and other witches who would be participating in the observance. (I need hardly add that every witch was correctly attired in her ceremonial robes and hat.) We gathered in a circle and each witch added a flame to the ceremonial fires. When all five fires had been lit, we recited the story of the first covens as the moon rose. Mlle Jardin had given me a copy of the story in French that I might be prepared for the recitation, as I am only truly familiar with the English and middle-English versions. My portion of the recitation was more clumsy than I would have liked, but it was quite the moving experience to hear the story again fresh in another language. The cadences and the emphases were different, and I found that during the period of solemn reflection with followed that I was meditating on different parts of the story than I have in the past. After the period of reflection, we recited the basic tenets of the Witch’s Code, and then extinguished the ceremonial fires one by one.

The concert, earlier in the day, was excellent. I was unfamiliar with the music as it was, naturally, all non-magical compositions, but I enjoyed myself very much. The assistant organist was the organist of the day and she had clearly put a lot of thought into the registration of the pieces. I have enclosed the program with this letter along with a recording of a previous concert, for Gwen.

How kind of Mlle Théière to take you to dinner. I am happy for you that your visit is going well (though of course there was never any doubt in my mind that it would be otherwise). 

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

3 November

Dear Hecate,

Gwen is over the moon about the recording and the program you sent, and sends her profuse thanks. 

I am so happy for you that you were able to find an observance to suit your tastes. It sounds like it was quite a moving and meaningful experience.

Marthe left this morning for Paris, and we have promised to stay in better touch with each other this time. It really was so good to see her. Such a lot of things we talked about that I had not thought about in a long time. What a fortunate chance it was that you and she ran into each other! 

She took me to The Cookery last night for dinner. They have a pumpkin and butternut squash that is absolutely incredible – I hope it will still be on their menu when you’re back – either way, we should definitely celebrate your return with a trip there. Marthe had an arugula and chard risotto that was amazing, and we split a dish of lemon ice and the largest lemon bar I have ever seen.

There was a delightful couple at the next table and we got to chatting with them and discovered it was their sixty-first anniversary. Can you imagine? 

One of them (Janet) is a doctor and the other (Amaryllis) is a book illustrator. They were very sweet and still obviously very much in love. They told us the most charming story of how they became engaged. They were both still young, and Janet was working all the time, including a fair number of night shifts, so their time together was very limited. Amaryllis decided she was going to illustrate a “will you marry me” card. She worked on it secretly for weeks, and slipped it and a few chocolates into Janet’s pocket one day right before Janet left for work. 

Unfortunately, Janet took the coat off as soon as she got to work, and forgot it there when she came home. The weather turned warm again, and so the coat remained in her office for some days. Amaryllis told Janet she was looking for her winter gloves and might have left them in Janet’s coat, unfortunately, Amaryllis didn’t hide her gloves well enough and later that evening Janet found them. So that particular ploy didn’t work, and she could hardly make another such attempt without Janet becoming suspicious.

A week and a half later, a colleague was conferring with Janet in her office. Janet picked up the coat to clear the chair, tossed it on the corner of her desk, and a slightly squashed chocolate fell out with a soft thunk onto the linoleum. Janet rummaged in her pocket, pulled out a card that now read “Will y marr e?” with several chocolate smears.

She stared at it for long enough that her colleague asked her if she was okay, whereupon she looked up, blinked, and said, “I have to call Lis right away.” Then she picked up the phone, dialed home and said “Yes, you ridiculous and lovely witch, I will marry you,” (and mind you her colleague was still a mere two meters away). 

To which Amaryllis first wailed “But I’ve just spent three days redrawing the card!”, and then after a beat, said, “oh, you will!? Oh excellent!” The rest, as they say, is history.  
Perhaps you’ll say I am a hopeless romantic, but those kinds of stories always warm my heart, especially when told so many years after the fact by a couple that still have such obvious affection for and comfort with one another. And perhaps I’ve become a bit sentimental, after the past several days.

We are having fine weather today so perhaps I will take a stroll around the grounds while it is still light out, and see if I can shake off this wistfulness before it becomes melancholy.

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

4 November

Dear Ada,

You are a bit of a romantic, but that is not a bad thing, in your case. It is one of your endearing qualities. 

I did not expect, when I came here to Paris, that I would figure in the role of re-uniter between you and Mlle Théière. But I can tell that reconnecting with her has brought you much joy, and therefore I am glad to have been able to do this for you. You deserve every happiness, Ada.

I have finally read the article in _Magical Curiosities_ that you recommended, and it is an intriguing premise. I hope that she will publish a more academic article on the subject at some point – it would be interesting to know more about her sources and evidence. A chant, sung or chanted by a non-magical person will not result in any magic occurring, and in communities in which witches were few and they associated with the non-magical population, a young witch might easily have repeated chants to her non-magical friends, perhaps even without understanding what she was doing. I take Dr. Zvyezda’s point, that allowing basic chants to be relatively widely known could in some ways increase the safety of the community, for if the chant were well-known as a non-magical children’s “rhyme”, the witch or witches needed not fear free and liberal use of it, so long as there were children around.

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

5 November

Dear Hecate,

Gwen was so interested in the article that she wrote to Dr. Zvyezda about it, so I happen to know through Gwen that Dr. Zvyezda is hoping to publish an academic paper on the topic sometime in the future.

I do thank you for bringing Marthe back into my life. It has indeed brought me a great deal of pleasure to be reconnected with her. I hope you know too that you yourself are very much a part of my happiness, my dear.

I am certain Marthe would be happy to see you again, if your schedule permits.

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

7 November

Dear Ada,

My work is causing me to keep somewhat irregular hours at the present which makes it difficult to predict when I might be available for social engagements. Mlle Tournesol has taken to appearing at my lab at odd hours with savory scones and a small pot of tea which I will admit is less annoying than I initially thought it would be, but I cannot say when I will be done with this portion of the experiment.

Yours sincerely,  
Hecate

* * *

10 November

Dear Hecate, 

I quite understand, of course your research must come first.

I thought you might like to know that Mildred Hubble came in first place in the spelling bee, once again. She’s doing quite well in her classes overall this term. Beatrice and Sybil came in first place for the second years, and Miss Pentangle’s first years won the first-year round. But all in all, 2 out of 3 isn’t too bad. We’re going to have a more advanced spelling bee for the older girls later in the spring term. 

If my letters become too much, especially while you are so deep in your project, one line from you will be sufficient and I will stop them until you tell me you would like to hear from me once more. 

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

11 November

Dearest Ada,

Letters from you of any length and at any frequency are always most welcome and I cherish them. My erratic work schedule does not prevent me from reading your letters, or responding to them, only from maintaining any sort of regular in-person social interaction. Your letters are a highlight of my day.

I would expect nothing less from Mildred Hubble, after all, she is from a distinguished witching family and should be working hard to make her family proud.

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

12 November

Dear Hecate,

It is always a delight to receive your letters as well. I am so glad that my letters are not a burden. I haven’t much time at the moment, but I will write again soon.

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

15 November

Dear Hecate,

The weather is turning chilly so I have started pulling my winter jumpers out of storage. Marthe sent me a charming pair of fingerless gloves – black with cat’s eyes and whiskers on the back of each hand. They look quite a lot like my black cat flats, actually.

Dimity is off at physical education conference this weekend, so I have asked the head of year for each year to help in keeping an eye on things. It will do them good to have a little extra responsibility.

Mother has started making plans for the holidays, and wants to know whether you will join us this year. You needn’t decide right away of course, if you’d like some time to think about it. I told her I would pass along the invitation to you and let you decide, as I was not sure if you were planning to stay on in Paris through the holidays. I would of course be delighted to have you with us, as would Mother. 

Mother asked if I wanted to invite Marthe as well, but while we might invite her to the party on winter solstice party I think I am not ready to invite her to stay with us for multiple days. We are, after all only recently reconnected after all this time. So if you decided to come, you’d be our only overnight guest who is not a family member. Ingrid and Beverly and their children will be staying with us, as will Aunt Hyacinth. The rest of the family are making other sleeping arrangements.

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

Dear Ada,

The weather is getting chillier here as well. My lab is of course temperature controlled, but I have taken to leaving some extra hats and gloves in it for those times in which I end up staying later than I expected and have to return to my rooms rather late.

It is very kind of your mother to invite me for the holidays. I am not yet sure if I will be done with or have at least reached a logical stopping/pause point on my research by then but I should have a better idea by the end of November, at which point I should be able to give you my answer.

When I was a young witch we usually went to my maternal grandmother’s for the Yule holidays. She lived in the Lake District, near Keswick, and had a large, rambling house large enough to accommodate most of my mother’s side of the family. My younger cousins were a rambunctious lot, and so it was very beneficial to have the woods nearby that they could romp in, even if I did get called upon to play babysitter far more often than I would have liked. But once my cousin Liv (her full name was Livia, but for obvious reasons she was not terribly fond of her name) moved to Poland I was the eldest cousin, so it fell to me. 

I liked my cousins well enough, but there was only so much of their frenetic energy I could handle at one time. And the closer we got to gift-giving, the more rambunctious they became. I don’t know what your cousins were like, but mine could become perfect terrors, and had an uncanny ability to figure out when the adults were all distracted and therefore less likely to notice outrageous antics. 

Mlle Jardin, who has been of invaluable help to me in tracking down materials, is going on holiday next week to Portugal with Mlle Tournesol and I will be obliged to work with the other librarians if I need assistance. I am sure they are all quite competent, but I have been working almost exclusively with Mlle Jardin and we are quite used to one another now. 

Well, it is only a week and my experiments are in a delicate state anyhow, so perhaps I won’t need any assistance until after she gets back.

Affectionately,  
Hecate

* * *

18 November

Dear Hecate,

I think of my cousins, Agatha and I were the terrors. When I think of the trouble we got into, really it is a miracle that neither of us managed to cause each other, ourselves, or someone else permanent damage before we grew up. Ingrid insisted on sleeping on the floor in the same room as her parents for years after one of the stunts Agatha and I pulled.

Even before we had much magical power we managed to cause all sorts of chaos. One year we carefully cut into the Yule log cake, filled it with dirt, and smeared the chocolate frosting back over the cut. Mother was as mad as fire when she discovered what she’d done. No one ate it fortunately, because they realized something was wrong pretty much as soon as they cut into it. Mother made us wash all the dishes, except for the good china (which she didn’t trust us with) by hand and without any sort of magic, as punishment. Then there was the year that we shrunk everyone’s coats to the size of doll clothes…

A few years after Agatha was sent away, Mother finally convinced me that such pranks were unacceptable and unbecoming. She never did convince Agatha though. Agatha learned to make her pranks less flashy, less noticeable to those not directly affected, but she never stopped. In fact, the first winter holiday that I brought Marthe home with me Agatha proceeded to send all of Marthe’s unmentionables to Vanishment, freeze her sheets, and dyed her broomstick purple. She refused to tell us what spell she used to dye it, and it took ages to figure out how exactly she’d done it, since of course she hadn’t used any of the usual spells. And all of those incidents were before Agatha had grown more sophisticated in her pranks.

That reminds me, I wanted to let you know that I’m bringing Agatha to Mother’s for the holidays. I don’t want to leave her alone at Cackles. It would be nice to be able to bring her without bringing Miss Gullet, but I dare not try to alter the spell that holds them there. We’ll probably put her in the kitchen, near the door to the dining room, so she is not exposed to too much moisture and is still sort of part of the family. 

Mother’s not very pleased and neither am I, but even Mother agrees that Agatha has grown far too dangerous to be released from her present circumstances. 

I hope this will not negatively affect your decision as to whether or not you will spend the holidays with us. I know that you find my relationship with my sister perplexing, and that you do not approve of her, like her or trust her, all of which I can understand. 

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

20 November

Dear Ada,

I am not at all surprised that Agatha was a mischief-maker, though it is a little harder for me to imagine you in such a role. I would not call you a strict adherent to the rules even now, but you tend to stray from them when you think it is necessary for the common good.

I know that no decision concerning Agatha can be easy. If you and your mother are in agreement about the arrangements for her concerning the holidays, then that is the best outcome to be hoped for. I am not entirely easy with the idea of her being there, but she is not my sister, and I am not sure I would feel easier knowing she was at Cackle’s while no one else was.

I must return to my experiments now.

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

21 November

Dear Hecate,

I hope that in your feverish work you are remembering such mundane things as eating and sleeping and hydrating. I worry for you knowing that your supplier of tea and scones is in Portugal.

Affectionately,  
Ada

* * *

23 November

Dear Ada,

You need not fear, I am making sure to maintain adequate levels of hydration, nutrition, and sleep in the absence of Mlles Jardin and Tournesol. 

Yours,  
Hecate

* * *

24 November

Dear Hecate,

I have my doubts about what you might deem “adequate” under the circumstances. Ought I to ask Marthe to visit with tea and a sandwich? 

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

25 November

Dear Ada,

That will not be necessary. If you are as worried as that I will enclose Mlle Tournesol’s address with this letter. I have not the slightest doubt that she will appear in my lab very shortly after her return from her trip, and you may write to her directly so she can confirm that I have not suffered ill effects from my week left to my own devices.

I think I forgot to write to you that I would be very happy to accept your and your mother’s invitation to stay with you for Yule.

Fondly,  
Hecate

* * *

26 November

Oh Hecate, I am so delighted you will be joining us! I didn’t want to pressure you but I was so hoping you would choose to come. It will be so marvelous to have you with us!

I do worry about you, dear, but I wouldn’t check up on you behind your back. I am glad to have Mlle Tournesol’s address, in case of an emergency, and please feel free to give her mine if you would like, but I know that whatever our disagreements you are a sensible witch who is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. 

Yours,  
Ada

* * *

29 November

Dear Ada,

Mlle Tournesol and Mlle Jardin have returned, and as I predicted Mlle Tournesol appeared on my lab’s doorstep around mid-day. She insisted that I come get some fresh air and took me to a respectable café a few blocks away, treated me to lunch and told me all about their trip. She says I am to tell you that I am a little pale from what she presumes is my lack of leaving the lab during daylight hours, but that she otherwise finds me little altered from when she left.

I told her this was not necessary but she laughed and responded that I ought not to worry you.

I have had some success in my experiments – I now have a potion that is shows significant improvement on focusing the mind, at least under certain conditions. The side-effects have mostly been ones that I have expected. I am reaching the point where I think it would be useful to do some more research into medicinal potions and find at least one research partner in the field of medicinal potions. There is a limit to what I want to attempt and what I think is responsible to attempt with my own training. I did not want to seek out a potential partner before I could prove some success with my own work, as I did not want waste anyone’s time.

I am looking forward very much to spending the holidays with you. 

Warmly,  
Hecate

* * *

30 November

Dear Hecate,

I own I am glad to hear that you are not the worse for your solitary week, and I am so pleased that you have made such progress! 

I told Mother that you would be joining us and she is going to make your usual room ready for you. We’ll put Ingrid and Beverly in the downstairs guest room, the children in the nursery, and Aunt Hyacinth in the other upstairs guest bedroom. I mirrored Aunt Hyacinth the other day and I feel I should warn you that Aunt Hyacinth has become a rather more exaggerated version of herself since you last saw her. We’d put her on a different floor than you, but we need to put Ingrid and Bev on the same floor as the children.

My dear I am so excited to see you again soon. I have missed you more than I can say – it has been wonderful, exchanging letters, but there’s no substitute for seeing you every day.

Yours affectionately,  
Ada

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tip of the hat to Jane Austen, whose "My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever" (Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth, in _Pride and Prejudice_ ) was an inspiration for Ada's offer to stop writing.


End file.
